Ghostly Vengeance
by nature-lover2003
Summary: Ghostfreak wants to avenge his best friend after she and her uncle get yelled at for no reason. His best friend is his life and he will attack like a wild animal to protect her. How far does this loyalty go? And how far will he go to avenge her? (Rated T for language and graphic torture)


**(A/N: As I've said before, Ghostfreak is my favorite character in the entirety of "Ben 10". What I really like about his character is that he has a simple design compared to Ben's other aliens and yet he's the most complex. At first, he's just another one of Ben's transformations, but later it's revealed that he's actually a dangerous villain. One that's perhaps even more so than Vilgax.**

**This story is actually based on something that happened to me just a couple of weeks ago. I tried not to loose my cool, but this incident got my blood running.)**

**X**-**X**~0~0~0~**X**-**X**

Early one Friday morning a young woman arose from her bed to start getting ready for the day. It was roughly five in the morning, the sun hasn't risen yet and it was still dark out. She had a good reason to be awake at a time when the rest of her neighborhood was fast asleep. And it was a reason that no one would believe.

She came out of her room to walk down the hallway to her bathroom. She first did her business, then started to take off her clothes to take a shower.

She turned on the shower and stepped inside, closing the frosted glass door behind her. While washing her dark almond colored hair, the water suddenly went cold. She sighed and turned the water temperature back to warm.

"It's too early for this," she muttered to herself.

She finished cleaning up and turned off the water. She wrapped a towel around herself and walked out. She grabbed her clothes from the vanity and left the bathroom to go back to her bedroom.

Once back in her room, she dropped her clothes into the hamper, dried off her body and got together the clothing she would be wearing to school that day. She grabbed a pair of ripped jeans and a long-sleeved, black and white striped shirt.

She got ready rather quickly, most girls her age would've most likely taken longer to get ready because they usually take their time to put on a bunch of makeup. She hated putting on makeup and couldn't understand why people are so obsessed with it. There were other reasons why she hated it so much, but the main would be because it takes too long and for a special friend of hers time with her is something he doesn't get very often.

She sat on her bed to put on her shoes, when she looked to her side she saw a lavender colored rose necklace laying next to her. She grinned at it, then picked it up by its gold chain and put it on.

She walked out of her room and went to the kitchen. She looked out the window, it was still a little dark out, but she could see the sun beginning to rise on the horizon. She started to look around for something to eat for breakfast.

A faint knocking sound coming from the refrigerator prompted her to look inside. She opened it and saw two muffins sitting on a plate inside. She giggled and grinned at the food on the plate and took it out, placing it on the counter.

She turned back to the refrigerator to grab a bottle of orange juice and saw two glasses when she turned back. She shook her head and poured juice into the glasses, she put the orange juice back and closed the refrigerator door behind her.

As she started to eat her breakfast she noticed the other muffin had a lot of missing spots on it. And those missing spots looked an awful lot like someone had been biting into it. The glass of juice next to the other muffin levitated off the counter and some of the fruity liquid quickly disappeared.

"You can show yourself, you know. The sun hasn't fully risen and my uncle won't be here for a while," she suddenly spoke, seemingly to herself.

A very light gray, almost white, ghost-like figure then suddenly appeared right next to her. The ghost was covered with black lines, almost giving his body the appearance of a map, and had one purple eye, similar in color to her necklace. He still held the half-full glass in his four-fingered hand.

"I know, it's just fun to mess with you," he replied with a playful ghostly laugh. She rolled her eyes with a small smile on her face.

"Oh, whatever!" she laughed and playfully hit him in his upper chest/shoulder area.

The next few minutes was full of laughs while the two friends finished eating their breakfast. After they were finished, she put the glasses and plate in the sink and started to look through her backpack to see if she missed anything. She took out her binder and began to look through it.

"Need help with that?" her ghostly friend asked.

She shook her head, "No. I just want to make sure all my homework is done, even if it's not due until Monday."

"You're really smart, I still don't see why so many people don't like you," he commented.

"Oh, I don't know," she started sarcastically, "maybe it's because I watch a lot of action cartoons or just cartoons in general. Or maybe it's because my best friend is an alien who just happens to look and have all the powers of a ghost."

"You sound mad," he observed. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, it's just-" she paused and sighed, "You know how I'm in choir, right?" He nodded. "Well, I auditioned to be the lead-solo at the rally next week and today we find out who gets the part to sing the National Anthem."

"So, you're just nervous?" he questioned.

"Yes- no- I don't know!" she exaggerated and put her head down.

He was about to put his hands on her to comfort her, but a 'honk!' cut him off. He looked out the window, it was still relatively dark outside so he wasn't in danger of being destroyed, "Your uncle's here."

She put all of the stuff she took out back in her backpack and grabbed her ash-gray jacket. Her uncle had to take her school and pick her up everyday because she had no car nor anyone else to drive her there and back home.

Her parents were never around and she practically lived alone. Though if she wanted to get her place she legally could because she's eighteen. The only issue with getting her own place was that her friend can't go out in the sunlight, unless he possesses someone and no one would want to be willingly possessed by a ghost, even if the ghost was actually an alien.

She grabbed her backpack, hauling it over her shoulder, and walked out the door. Before she opened the door, her friend decided to tag along and hid inside her backpack.

* * *

The first couple of hours or so of school were uneventful, except for the times she could hear her peers talking about her. She knew why too, it was because of her face and her body.

Her face was covered with redness and acne scars, old and new. This was due to inflammation under the surface of her skin, it makes her skin very sensitive. Another reason why she doesn't wear makeup, it causes severe irritation. She also has dark purplish rings around her golden hazel eyes.

She didn't have a 'Kim Kardashian' body, or in other words an hourglass figure, but she didn't have a 'Cass Elliott' body either. She's heavier set, but not overweight and despite her size she could easily run faster than even her classmates on the track team, but only when she wanted to, not when she had to.

At this moment she was on her way to her favorite class: choir. She still had no idea that her friend had hitched a ride inside her backpack, but perhaps she would learn later.

She walked inside of the choir room and sat down in one of the chairs surrounding the stage. The teacher stood on top of the stage and started to take attendance.

He went down the list of names before finally getting to hers, "Tala Gutermuth."

She raised her hand, "Here."

He called out a few more names and began to announce what they were going to be doing that day, "Today we'll be finishing up "Les Possedes", then we'll get started on "Scarborough Fair" and after school I'll announce who gets the solo spot."

"Les Possedes" is a song by the band Agathodaiman, the last verse of the song is in Romanian. The teacher did this often with his students, he often made them learn about and sing songs in other languages. They usually took a week or two to learn the songs in segments, usually three or four lines at a time.

Just the week prior they sang "Lady Melody" by Tom Frager, a song written in French. The week before that they sang "Fotos y Recuerdos" by Selena, a song written in Spanish.

After ten minutes of review/practice, they all got up on the stage and started to sing.

_"Deep into the darkness peering_

_Long I stood there fearing_

_Dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before_

_But the silence was unbroken_

_And the stillness gave no token_

_And the only word there spoken_

_Was the whispered word: "Veritas"_

_This the darkness whispered_

_And an echo murmured back the word_

_Merely this and nothing more!_

_Fools and faith conspire_

_Questions of desire_

_That they never owned before_

_Kings without their armor_

_Men without their honor_

_We all slip into oblivion_

_We are the dark inside the night_

_The ghosts about which the poets write_

_And the dreams the night's embrace_

_That slowly leave without a trace…_

_O, sulfet sparge-odata, ingusta-ti inchisoare_

_Si scutura-te-odata de-acest lut pamintesc!_

_Vreau sa m-agat de tine, spre cer navala dind_

_Cum viermii de-un cadavru s-agata misunind!"_

The students sang loudly and clearly, but not so loud as to disturb the surrounding classes. There were some people whose voices were noticeably shaky, while others were as smooth as silk; Tala was one of those people. Her voice was as clear as crystal, if not more so, and combined with her naturally silvery yet slightly flat voice made her singing voice very distinctive.

Her voice could be recognized immediately by someone very close to her and someone close to her did recognize it. Her friend went intangible, so that he could watch while most of his body was hidden from sight. Even amongst the many in sync voices of her classmates, he could hear her as if they were at home alone. He watched her with fascination and lust.

Though, he was yet to admit it, and may never, he had developed feelings for her, romantic feelings. He knew that the chances of her returning his feelings were slim, but there was a chance, right?

'Oh, who am I kidding?' he thought harshly, almost as if he was scolding himself. 'She would never fall for me. I'm an ugly alien and she's a human.'

They repeated the song a couple more times and each time the students' synchronization got better and better. Now it was time for them to practice "Scarborough Fair". Many already knew the lyrics since it was something they had to write and sing at least once a year. For now, they were just going to sing the first verse.

_"Are you going to Scarborough Fair?_

_Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme;_

_Remember me to the one who lives there,_

_For she was once a true love of mine."_

Just as with the previous song, they repeated this one verse numerous times and each time he felt his heart melt and he was sure his friend was feeling the same way. During the middle of the verse the third time they sang it he was certain she had finally spotted him. He wasn't absolutely sure, but he did see her brow furrow slightly went she looked in his direction.

Class ended fifteen minutes later and it was time for lunch. Everyone walked out the room and most went towards the cafeteria, Tala, however, went in the opposite direction towards the library. She sat down on a bench and waiting for everyone around to pass her.

Once they were gone, she opened her backpack and whisper yelled, "Ghostfreak! Come out now! I know you're in here!"

Not wanting to make her anymore angry with him, he arises out from her bag. "You called?" he joked in an attempt to lighten up her mood, but she was clearly upset with him.

"Why are you here?!" she snapped whilst still whispering.

"I, I had a feeling that something would happen, so I hid in your bag to look after you," he confessed, almost ashamed of himself and his actions.

"Go home now!" she demanded.

"But-" he tried to argue, but she glared at him. With his head hung he caved in, "I'll go back home now." He went intangible and disappeared into the floor.

* * *

School had ended and nearly every choir student from each class period was inside the choir classroom, eagerly awaiting the results of the teacher's decision for the solo spot. Each student was hopeful that they would get the spot, but life has taught many of them to not get their hopes up.

Tala sat in a chair with her fingers crossed, waiting for the teacher to come into the room. She didn't have to wait long; the teacher came in just seconds later and got up on stage.

"After lots of consideration, I've decided to give the solo spot to…" his voice seemingly trailed off, creating a dynamic air of suspense, so much so that she wasn't sure how much longer she could wait. Finally, he revealed the name, "Christina Weying."

The said girl squealed in excitement like an idiot girl whenever she sees an actor. Everyone in the class clapped for her.

Tala was, understandably, disappointed, but clapped for her nonetheless. Though, she couldn't fathom how she got the part and not her or at least someone who can sing. In her view, the girl's voice sounded like a goat choking on a microphone.

Then again, she was grateful that she didn't get the part, she wasn't sure if she could sing in front of the entire school. Her school wasn't like the ones you see in high school movies, if you just stand up for yourself, or at least try to, you're going to get bullied until graduation.

Her uncle came to pick her up and take her back home. He drove to her neighborhood and less than a thousand feet from her house, a white, older model pick-up truck pulled out from a driveway before they could get through.

"Fucking kid," her uncle said to himself.

The driver came bursting out of the truck and started throwing out every profanity in the book, "What the fuck are you doing you fucking son of a fucking bitch?! Why are blocking my way?!"

Her uncle tried to reason with him, "Hey, hey, hey. I just want to get through."

"Oh, yeah, well, I want to go out to the club! You're fucking blocking me!" He punched the door of her uncle's car, "Get out of the fucking car, you pussy! You want to fight?! Come on, you pussy!"

Her uncle calmly said, "Don't, don't call me that."

"I'll call you whatever the fuck I want, you fucking pussy!" he spit on his car and went back to his truck.

This whole time, Tala sat quietly with her hands folded in an iron grip. The knuckles of her skinny fingers were clearly visible. She gritted her teeth, almost grinding them, and shook with pure rage. If they weren't in a neighborhood and if she had her own car, chances are she would have stomped out the car and beat the guy the death.

A shirtless man covered in tattoos of various sizes, presumably the driver's father, came up to them, "I apologize for my son's behavior."

"It's fine," her uncle said, "I'm just trying to get up the street to take my niece home."

The guy talked to his son and pulled him out of the truck before he could get back in. He pulled the truck up the driveway, allowing them to get through.

"You don't know that kid, do you?" he asked his niece.

She shook her head, "No, I don't recognize him."

He obviously couldn't sense just how upset she was, then again, how could he? Sensing how their daughter feels is something a father would do, he's not her father, they don't have that bond. Her uncle knows her better than both of her parents, but not well enough to know how she feels. That spot was already filled by someone else.

He drove her up the street to her house and she grabbed her stuff and got out. With a scowl on her face and adrenaline flowing through her body she opened the door and walked inside her house. She threw her backpack onto the floor and plopped down onto the couch.

Her friend was hesitant on whether or not now was a good time to talk to her, he knew that she could still be upset with him. He knew that he would have to talk to her sooner or later, especially with the anger he could feel radiating off of her.

He hovered next to her, but not too close in case she really was still angry at him, "Uh, how was the rest of your day? You know, after I went home."

"Okay, I guess," she answered quietly.

'At least she's talking to me and not yelling at me,' he thought. "Did you get the part?"

She slumped slightly into the sofa, "No, I didn't, someone else did."

Now he felt really bad for her, "I'm sorry, Tala, I really am."

She shrugged slightly and smiled softly, "It's fine, it's not your fault. In some ways I guess I'm kind of relieved that I didn't get the part."

"Why?" he questioned, obviously confused.

"I just don't think I'd be able to get up on stage and sing in front of the whole school. It's different in choir because I know everyone in there, even though I'm not close to them, I know that they probably won't tell the entire school because I sing well-"

He cut her off, "You sing great!"

"Anyway, I just had a feeling that if I got on stage then people would be talking about me, not because of my voice, but my appearance. People see right through your talents and go straight to your body and clothes," she finished.

"Well, does the person who got picked at least sing good?" he asked.

She laughed, "No, she sounds like a goat choking on a microphone! I think just picked because she looks like a younger version of Kim Kardashian!"

Ghostfreak was happy to see his best friend happy again, but he could tell that there was something else bothering her. He could tell from the second she walked in that she was angry with something or someone. He saw it on her face when she walked in and he could see it in her eyes as she laughed, trying to make it seem like everything was just fine.

"Okay, I'm just going to ask, what's wrong? Why were you angry when you came inside?" he questioned.

She wasn't sure if she should tell him since he does overreact at times, but she knew that he would just keep pressuring her until she spilled the beans. With a sigh, she told him what had happened, "This jerk came up to my uncle's car and started cussing up a storm just because we just happen to be driving up the street when he was pulling out of his driveway and, I don't know, I just filled up with rage because I felt like I had to do something, but I didn't. I just sat there with my hands folded until my knuckles started to hurt."

He seemed to understand what she was telling him, "Oh, I see, so you got upset because you wanted to defend your uncle, but your conscience wouldn't let you."

She nodded, "Yeah, even though my body wanted to beat that asshole to a bloody pulp, my mind held me back. And I really don't know what I would've actually done if I did get out of the car. Just because I wanted to beat him up doesn't mean that that's what would've ended up happening."

"I see," he replied simply.

She continued and unconsciously told him what she really wanted to do to him, "I really, really wanted to just beat him up until nothing but bruises remained."

Ghostfreak was beyond angry by this point, not because of what she said she wished she could have done, but just couldn't understand why someone would be angry over someone trying to get up the street. He couldn't have just waited a second for them to pass or pulled up his driveway to let them go through?

Then, his best friend uttered something he thought was very interesting, "I sure hope that punk gets what's coming to him."

'Oh, he will, he will,' he thought maniacally. 'I'll make sure of what's to come for him.'

* * *

A teenage boy of no more than seventeen years was laying in bed with a sneer on his face. Why? He was grounded.

He shouted and hit his wall with arm, "I can't believe my fucking Dad fucking grounded me for yelling at that fuck-tard!"

_"You shouldn't do that. You're going to hurt yourself," _an ominous voice rang through his bedroom.

"Mind your own-!" he shouted, but saw nobody there. "Uh, who said that?"

_"You shouldn't harm yourself. Especially when there's plenty of harm coming your way tonight," _the ominous voice rang again.

He tried to make himself look big and tough, but in reality he was trembling from head to toe, "S-Show yourself! W-Where are y-you?!"

A dark figure arose from the carpeted floor with a single violet eye that stood out like an amethist shining in a pile of gravel. The teenager got really scared when he saw the figure's claw-like hands and spikes on the elbows.

The figure went tangible and went from being dark and transparent to a light smoke color. Dark lines that were not very noticeable at first now stood out. The claws and spikes were also more pronounced and more intimidating. The violet eye glistened with rage, bloodlust and excitement.

"W-Who are y-you?!" he shrieked.

"Just someone looking to avenge a friend," he answered simply, narrowing his eye. "But you may call me Ghostfreak!"

He screamed like a little girl and made a beeline for the front door. As he ran down the hallway, a ghostly cackle rang throughout the house.

As he ran, the hallway seemed to get longer and never-ending. He stopped and started slapping himself, thinking, or rather praying, that this was just a nightmare he was having and still lying on his bed.

As if he knew what he was thinking, Ghostfreak chuckled, but he was nowhere in sight, _"This_ _is_ _no_ _dream._ _I'm_ _very_ _real."_

He appeared to him and choked him with his cold hands. His sharp fingers dug deep into his neck, leaving bruises that would last for a longtime.

The teenager gasped for air and could feel his face turn cold. His eyes watered and numerous red dots the size of a pinhead appeared under his eyes. It was the blood vessels in his eyes were bursting.

He hoisted him up with one hand, his grip tightening, almost to the point of drawing blood. He started to repeatedly punch him in the face, giving him two black eyes, a broken nose, bleeding lips and bruised cheeks. He finished him off by punching him in the abdomen as hard as he could.

When it was all over, the teenager found himself on the floor of his kitchen. He still tried to convince himself that he was only dreaming, but the pain he felt on his face was all too real.

He used the sink to splash water on his face. "This isn't happening, this isn't happening!" he said to himself.

He got himself a glass of water, but before he could drink it, Ghostfreak's image appeared on the glass. The water started to boil and the glass shattered in his hand, some shards embedded themselves into his palm.

He whispered in his ear, _"There is no escape for you."_

He took several steps back towards the front door, but before he could even leave the kitchen, he had an ice cold feeling in his back. This was caused by Ghostfreak possessing him; taking over his body.

He tightly clenched his hair by the roots and begged him to leave him alone, "No, please, I'm sorry for whatever it is that I did! Just, please, leave me alone!"

It didn't take very long for him to have complete control over the teenager's body after possessing him. His eyes turned purple, just as his were, and the skin underneath his eyes now had black, crack-shaped markings.

He smirked and cackled to himself, "Now the real fun begins!"

This would be fun for him, but torture for the teenager he was possessing. As an Ectonurite he could put his body through any type of torture he pleased and no harm would be done to him. Not even sunlight or another powerful light source would be able to harm him.

He took off the teenager's socks so that he was barefoot and with a floor covered with shards and slivers of glass, it was bound to be a recipe for pain. He started to walk around the glass covered floor, getting pieces stuck in his feet. Everywhere he stepped he left a bloody footprint or smear.

He used his flight powers to levitate his body off the floor. He then used his powers to slam his body into the walls, ceiling and floor. The more times he did the bloodier his body got and it surely broke some bones as well.

Since it was dark both outside and inside the house that meant he could use his powers at full power. It also meant that his power wouldn't be running out anytime soon. Unfortunately, he didn't have the time to have all the fun he would like to have. Tala would grow suspicious if she noticed he was gone for too long. Plus, the teenager's family could show up at anytime.

He decided to use his telekinetic powers for one last round of torture. His hands glowed royal blue and all of the remaining glass pieces and knives of every size surrounded him. He crossed his arms into an 'x' and every single sharp object left narrow cuts all over his body. The narrow cuts ensured that the teenager would likely not die, unless of course there are unforeseen circumstances, but the chances were astronomical. After all, he wanted to scare and torture him for what he did to his friend; not kill him.

His time was almost up, so he decided on one last scare just for a laugh. He descended to the floor and left the teenager's body. He collapsed to the floor as soon as he had control over his own body again, but he didn't pass out. Instead, he curled up into a ball and started to shiver.

"P-P-Please, no more!" he begged as he bled and cried.

"You're lucky I'm on a time limit, but before I leave... how about something really scary?" he taunted.

He trembled so much that you would think an earthquake was happening. He raised his badly battered arms over his head and sobbed, "No, no, no…"

Ghostfreak paid no mind to his cries, he pulled back his protective second layer of skin to reveal his true self. He revealed a vast array of black and white striped tentacles to the crying teenager. He screamed bloody murder and passed out completely.

He pulled himself back together and heard the familiar sound of a car pulling up the driveway. "Well, it's been fun, but it's time to go," he went intangible and disappeared into the floor just as the front door opened.

He reappeared back in the living room, where he saw Tala still sitting on the couch. She was watching TV and was in her pajamas.

She didn't even have to look at him to know that he was in the room and asked him, "Where have you been?"

"Nowhere special or that you should be concerned with," he replied.

"Let me guess, we're going to see a news report on someone being found seriously hurt," she inferred from past experience.

"Possibly," he responded slyly and playfully.

"Someday you're going to get yourself in trouble," she pointed out.

He shrugged, "Perhaps, but it is all for a good cause."

"And what would that be?" she questioned with a smile on her face.

He went over to her and lifted her head up to look directly up at him. He removed the top portion of his second skin where his head was. She had already seen him without his protective skin numerous times before, so she wasn't scared or freaked out by his upside down skull-like head or even his long, sharp teeth.

What he was doing was all new to him and had no idea what to do next. "I, uh," he started awkwardly, "have... feelings for you."

"Turn your head right side up," she told him as if this was something she's done a million times.

He did as he was told and rotated his head. He wasn't sure if he preferred to have his head this way or the other way. Nor did he know where she was going with this.

"So, now what?" he asked awkwardly.

"This," she answered as she reached up for him, bringing him closer to her.

She planted her pink lips on his black ones, resting her arm on his shoulder. He was surprised at first, but kissed her back and was careful to mind his teeth, the last thing he would ever want to do is hurt her.

They eventually separated for air and cuddled on the couch. They watched TV until falling asleep, but his mind was occupied by what they were now. Were they still just best friends or were they now lovers? It didn't matter now because they both knew that they would always be together. Even if something happened to her, minor or major, she will be avenged by a ghost.

**X**-**X**~0~0~0~**X**-**X**

**(A/N: This was a lot of work to get done by today and believe me it wasn't easy, but I somehow did it. I hope you guys like this because I worked really hard on it.**

**Interesting Facts about this story:**

**Ghostfreak's vengeance against the jerk that insulted Tala's uncle takes some inspiration from Zs'Skayr's personality and haunting/revenge scenes that you would traditionally see in a horror movie. As everyone should know, Zs'Skayr is the DNA source of Ghostfreak, so having his personality makes sense. I also took in mind Ben's childish personality as well.**

**Of the OCs I've created, Tala is the one I can relate to the most. I based her personality and her physical appearance on my everyday appearance with some changes of course.**

**The part when she's angry at the jerk yelling at her uncle is based on my mental state in the sense that I feel like it's my duty to defend myself and others. I often get so angry to the point where I want to tear the person apart. My heart just gets racing, I start to feel fatigued, I get to the point where I don't talk to people and they don't want to talk to me.**

**Traditional Twist and starboy6, if you guys ever read this, just know this: you gave me PTSD. Because you two decided to tell me I was wrong, instead of helping me out a little, you made me this way. You made me constantly paranoid and anxious for what's to come. Every time I write a story to relieve stress, I'm constantly reminded of "Dark Secrets" and I'm worried that something like that will happen again. And, yes, I did my research on PTSD and I found a lot of similarities with I go through every damn time I publish a story. It hurts me a lot both in the mind and body and there are times where I wonder if the pain will ever stop. If you people actually cared you would've been able to see it in my writings. I don't care if you ever read this, but everyone who does will be curious.**

**I think that's enough with the facts for this, I've got a lot of work to do. The entire time I was writing this, I was also writing a story for Ripjaws. Ripjaws' story should be finished by New Years Eve, it's almost done anyway. And I have feeling it's going to be the longest one-shot I'll ever write.**

**I think I've wasted enough of your time. Merry Christmas Eve and Merry Christmas to all!)**


End file.
